Support for electric lights



(-No Model.) E

J. J. WALSH. SUPPORT FOR BLEGTRIG LIGHTS.

No. 471,837. I Patented-Mar. 29,1892.

W/T/VESSES:

O ATTORNEY.

UNHED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. wALsi-i, OF PARIS, TEXAS.

SUPPORT FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,837, dated March 29, 1892.

Application filed September 15, 1891. Serial No. 405,790. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES J. WALSH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Paris, county of Lamar, and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports. for Electric Lights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to supporting devices for electric-arc lamps, the object being to provide a device which will automatically release itself when the lamp is to be lowered and which when the lamp is raised to the point of suspension will automatically catch and hold the lamp in suspended position.

The invention consists in the combination,

and C a cross-piece arranged atthe top of the lamp and carrying at its extremities insulators c c, which support the wires 0' c, which supply current to the lamp. These wires lead oif to a neighboring pole or other support and serve to prevent the lamp from turning or twisting on the vertical axis.

D represents a cable, mast-head, or other suitable support for the lamp. Near the point where the lamp is to be suspended a pulley e is located and supported by the cable D. Over this pulley a cord or rope f passes and connects at one end with the cross-piece C of the lamp frame. Thence it leads over the pulley, and thence over suitable guides to a point where it is convenient for manipulation.

near its middle point apost g is fixed, the

' upper end of which isbifurcated and receives the point of connection and forming a figure similar to the letter V or the letter U. This lever is pivoted upon the pin g at a point slightly to one side of the apex of the arms, and the arm g which is farthest from the pivot, is weighted and formed at its upper end into a hook g bent inward toward the other arm.

g represents a stop for supporting the lever on one side, and the position of the lever when the lamp is not suspended is, as shown in Fig. 2, against the stop.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assume the lamp to be lowered and the arm Gin the position shown in Fig. 2. The lamp is lifted by pulling on the cord f, and while ascending the lamp is prevented from twisting by the two wires 0' c. It is lifted until the arm 9 of the lever G strikes the cable D. The upward movement then being continued, the arm g is forced downward, thus throwing the arm 9 over against the cable D, (the cable striking the arm g at about the point indicated by dotted lines D where it remains owing to the fact that its center of gravity has passed the pivotal center. The lamp is then lowered, and the hook g catches upon the cable and suspends the lamp. While the hook is lowering onto the cable the arm g is being thrown slightly back again across the pivotal center, so that when the lamp is suspended the center of gravity of the lever is on the left side of the pivot. To release the lamp and lower it, the cord is again pulled and the lamp lifted'until the point of the hook is clear of the cable. When it is thus free, the arm falls to the left against the stop 9 thus releasing the lamp and allowing it to be lowered.

It will be observed that the principal feature of this catch and release device is its simplicity and the fact that it is not liable to get out of order. The exact shape and angle of the arms of the lever Gr may be altered to some extent without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention The combination, with an arc lamp or other device to be suspended, of a cord attached to the same for raising and lowering, a support for said. lanip,'such as a cable or mast-arm, In witness whereof I have hereunto alffizged and aV-shaped lever ivoted eceentrically to my name in the presence of two subscribing to the lamp or device, one arm of the lever hav- Wit T168868 ing a hookadapted to en a e with said cable 5 or mast-arm and the oth e'r arm of the lever JAMES WALSH being arranged to strike the cable or mast- WVitnesses: arm and throw the hook into engagement J. N. JOHNSTON,

therewith. FRANK T. HOOKS. 

